Baltimore ratchets up security in light of Boston bombings

Mass transit, Camden Yards to see heightened security

UPDATED 7:54 AM EDT Apr 17, 2013

BALTIMORE -

Baltimore City police have raised the security awareness level in the city in light of the Boston Marathon explosions, which means people coming into the city can expect extra security on public transportation and at baseball games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Ever since the Sept. 11 attacks, police and security experts have been acutely aware of the fact that stadiums are attractive targets for terrorists. Baltimore City officials said they are diligent about minimizing the risk at Camden Yards and at M&T Bank Stadium. The situation in Boston has ratcheted up that vigilance.

"There are no credible threats at this time to this area or to the city of Baltimore, but it's prudent to take cautious steps," said police Commissioner Anthony Batts.

"What they will see is our SWAT officers in full gear, and they will have automatic weapons. They will work very closely with MTA police. Their responsibility is to check suspicious activities, check trash cans and check perimeters. You will also see our bomb dogs. We also are checking our rail lines and all of our infrastructure throughout the city -- all the buildings and petroleum lines," Batts said.

He said anyone who sees strangely parked cars or suspicious bags around town should let police know.

Lots of extra security was put into place as the O's began a nine-game homestand, starting Tuesday with the Tampa Bay Rays. During the game, everyone at Camden Yards observed a moment of silence in honor of all of those affected by the Boston bombings.

As a precaution, the Orioles removed trash cans around the outside of the stadium since authorities said the Boston bombs went off after possibly being placed in trash cans near the marathon finish line.

"We're cautious. A lot has changed. They took all the trash barrels," one fan told 11 News.

At Penn Station, federal air marshals provided extra security Monday morning, which was a welcome sight to travelers.

"I see they beefed up the security, so I feel a little secure. I'm just shocked at what happened," one MARC train traveler told 11 News. "At Penn Station in New York, there are lots of dogs, police and the Army. I'm from Israel, so for us it looks normal, but for New York, is doesn't look normal."

WBAL-TV 11 News has learned that local police departments and Maryland State Police are cooperating to evaluate special events taking place so they can adjust accordingly. The city police department also said it sent some of its intelligence and special operations officers to Boston to learn how law enforcement there is dealing with the investigation and the aftermath.

Tuesday's home game at Camden Yards was Baltimore's biggest public gathering following the Boston Marathon. Former Maryland Transportation Authority Police Chief Gary McLhinney said he expected some security measures to be obvious, but not all of them.

"I anticipate any large crowds will have an increased police presence, in terms of visuals you see and the activities that law enforcement traditionally do that you don't see," he said.

Meanwhile, the founder of the University of Maryland's Center for Health and Homeland Security called the situation in Boston a sobering wake-up call for the entire country.

"We've been very lucky that this hasn't happened sooner, but sooner or later, something was going to get through. This is a lesson to us that our need to be vigilant is as important now as it was on Sept. 12, 2001. We classically hear that if you see something, say something," professor Michael Greenberger said.

Gov. Martin O'Malley is among the state and local leaders encouraging the deployment of additional resources during the heightened state of alert.

"Our hearts and prayers are with the people of Boston and the family members of those who lost their lives in this terrorist attack," O'Malley said. "Our country is going to be under this terrorist threat for many years to come. I suppose, given the long period of time that's elapsed since the last successful attack on American soil, many of us perhaps wanted to believe this was a thing of our past and not something we would have to continue to deal with, but this is going to be with us for a long time."

The governor added that while extra security measures are a precaution, he believes they will help safeguard Marylanders from falling victim to a copycat attacker.

Meanwhile, the Harford County school system said it canceled field trips planned for Tuesday to Washington, D.C., and Aberdeen Proving Ground. In Baltimore County, police said there was no specific threat to the region, but they were carrying out checks of critical infrastructure as a precaution.

Look back at Boston Marathon bombing

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The trial for Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, the man charged in the Boston Marathon bombings that killed three people and injured more than 200, begins Monday. Take a look back at scenes from the April 15, 2013, incident.